Mexico Suspends Temporary Footwear Imports to Aid Local Industry

The Mexican government has issued a presidential decree suspending the temporary importation of finished footwear under the Manufacturing, Maquiladora and Export Services Industry (IMMEX) program.

Signed on Aug. 23 and published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), the decree removes tariff headings 64.01 to 64.05—covering finished footwear—from eligibility for temporary importation under IMMEX.

Minister of Economy Marcelo Ebrard announced the measure during a press briefing, stating it aims to protect the domestic footwear industry.

Between 2019 and 2024, Mexico’s footwear sector saw a cumulative 3.1% GDP decline and a 2.8% drop in employment. In 2024 alone, the sector contracted 12.8%, losing nearly 11,000 formal jobs, according to the decree.

Imports of finished footwear under IMMEX rose sharply, increasing 159% in volume and 60.3% in value compared with 2023. Compared with 2021, imports were 24 times higher in volume and 12 times higher in value.

During the briefing, Ebrard also updated the public on the Huamantla Development Hub in Tlaxcala, one of 15 federal projects under Plan México. The 53-hectare site is 80% committed to domestic and foreign investments and is expected to create about 6,000 jobs when operations begin in 2026.

Tlaxcala Governor Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros noted that the state is the first to begin construction of such a hub, with investments exceeding US$540 million from companies including Kipping Automotive, Servicios Integrados y Administración de Alta Gerencia, and Comercializadora Aragón. Plans include a second child care and education center to support working mothers.

President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that development hubs aim to strengthen both exports and the domestic market by promoting industrial growth alongside essential services such as water, energy, education, and healthcare.